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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23618887">(don't) write me an elegy of your past, love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean'>EzzyDean</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ballads of us [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:09:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,304</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23618887</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He runs.</p><p>Facing his emotions is not something that Tetsurou is all that good at.  A locked door, a tricky trap, a man whose throat needs slit?  He’s all over it.  He can practically take care of it with his eyes closed.  Give him his emotions on a platter?  He’ll chuck it out the window as a distraction and slip into the shadows and out the door before you can blink.</p><p>(Kuroo Tetsurou is not made for finery and lace and gentle words.  He's not made for flowery prose and being swept off his feet.  He's a rogue, he's good at his job, and that should be more than enough... right?)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou/Kuroo Tetsurou/Sawamura Daichi, Akaashi Keiji/Kuroo Tetsurou, Bokuto Koutarou/Sawamura Daichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ballads of us [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1710346</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>(don't) write me an elegy of your past, love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He knows the moment the words leave his lips that he’s gone too far, that he’s made one too many jokes, said a few too many things he shouldn’t have.  He always screws up, is always too much for people to handle.</p><p>“Just… just go.” The words ring in his ears as he shoves what little he has into his bag.   He never really unpacks anymore since he never really stays anywhere for long.  The heavy silence that follows the words clogs his throat and he feels like he’s breathing an entire field of cotton into his lungs as he tugs his boots on and pulls the door shut behind him. He looks up and down the quiet road and wonders, not for the first time, just what the hell is wrong with him.</p><p>He tries to take a deep breath and lets his body decide where to go. It takes a week and a half to get there but, predictably, he finds himself on Koutarou’s doorstep.</p><p>“Tetsurou?” Koutarou’s voice is a soothing balm on his wounded pride and, he barely can admit to himself right now, his cracked heart. “What happened?”</p><p>He decided at some point in his dazed trek here, sleeping under the stars and avoiding as many people as possible, that this time he would tell Koutarou the truth. That he’d swallow his pride and let all his secrets spill free from his lips. He takes a deep breath and opens his mouth to do just that when another familiar voice calls out.</p><p>“Koutarou who is it?” Daichi steps up behind Koutarou. His confused face melts into a friendly smile when he spots Tetsurou. “Oh Tetsurou. Hello.”</p><p>Tetsurou’s throat closes up and he shoves his secrets back into his heart where they belong even though his cracked heart is shattering as he notices all the small details he hadn’t when the door had swung open. Koutarou is in a pair of sleep pants, hair messy and plastered to his forehead, cheeks flushed, lips red and swollen. Daichi is behind him in a pair of sleep pants that Tetsurou knows belong to Koutarou and he looks just as disheveled as Koutarou does.</p><p>“Sorry for showing up unannounced.” His voice is flat even to his own ears and he hates the way that Koutarou’s eyes twitch - the only sign of flinching he’ll allow his body to show - at the sound of it. Daichi reaches out and sets his hand on Koutarou’s shoulder, a comforting touch, and Tetsurou feels the cracks in his heart grow wider. “I just wasn’t sure where else to go and I, well, I wasn’t thinking. I’ll, I’ll leave you be.”</p><p>“Tetsurou,” Koutarou says softly, sadly. But Tetsurou is already turning around and stepping away from his friend’s door. It wouldn’t do anything good to let Koutarou see the look in his eyes as his heart finally shatters into a million pieces and tears his organs to shreds. He’s bothered his friend enough over the years.  Koutarou made his choice and Tetsurou will respect it.</p><p>Koutarou’s sad face and Daichi’s kind but knowing eyes follow him into his dreams that night, and a lot of other nights.</p><p>—</p><p>“You are a disgrace.” Keiji’s voice fills his senses and he wants nothing more than to roll over and play dead. “A complete and utter disgrace.”</p><p>“Tell me something I don’t already know or tell myself daily,” Tetsurou growls back.</p><p>“That as much as I dislike you I’d still bend you over a table and fuck you into next week in a heartbeat if you asked nicely enough.”</p><p>That catches Tetsurou’s attention and he blinks open his eyes against the harsh morning sun. Keiji is looking down at him with an unreadable expression save for the edges tinted with disgust - probably thanks to the fact that Tetsurou is pretty sure he hasn’t had a decent bath, just quick rinses in streams and rivers, since the last town he had stumbled through a week ago or more.</p><p>“You would excuse me what?”</p><p>Keiji’s eyes roam over him and Tetsurou feels rather exposed considering he’s still wearing his traveling clothes - the light leather more comfortable than the plate-reinforced shit he usually gets stuck in for serious battles - and has a blanket draped across his waist and thighs. Something about Keiji’s looks have always rubbed Tetsurou the wrong way and he’s never in his life encountered someone that could rile him up and piss him off faster than the man standing over him, staring at him like he’d as soon devour him as throw him in front of a stampeding horse. They spend as much time at each other’s throats as they do passing peaceful conversation and they’ve been kicked out of more than one tavern and inn over the years because they just couldn’t play nice anymore.</p><p>“You heard me,” Keiji says coolly. He turns on his heel and saunters down the road, calling softly over his shoulder, “If you ever get your head out of your ass and stop holding a torch for someone you can’t have right now then you know where to find me.”</p><p>—</p><p>It takes him another year on the road, traveling from one coast to the other and cheating death countless times, before he manages the task. Getting his head out of his ass that is. He knows where Keiji is, has pretty much always known where Keiji is. The man is not hard to find. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing if he didn’t spend so much time pissing people off with his mouth or his magic.</p><p>“You know,” Tetsurou says, rising from the shadows and cleaning the blood off his blade on the shirt of the man whose life he had just taken, “if I didn’t know any better I’d say you enjoy being in danger so much.”</p><p>Keiji’s eyebrows twitch ever so slightly as he regards Tetsurou. “Please.” He waves his hands dismissively at the bodies around them. “The only thing I’m in danger of with these oafs is not being able to get the bloodstains off my porch.”</p><p>“So you’re telling me you didn’t need me to take care of these poor excuses for assassins?”</p><p>Keiji scoffs but gestures for Tetsurou to follow him inside. He pauses as Tetsurou checks their pockets for loot but doesn’t say anything. They both know better than to pass up potential clues or valuables. Tetsurou scuffs the mud and rocks off his boots before he enters and settles himself in one of the armchairs near the fires - plural because Keiji is just that extra, and that cold, sometimes - that Keiji has lit.</p><p>“Just because you are better than them does not automatically make them a poor excuse at their job. If that were the case you’d be a poor excuse for an assassin yourself just by the sheer fact that I exist.”</p><p>Tetsurou shakes his head. “Somehow I always forget just how much of a mouth you have on you. But thank you for the compliment.”</p><p>Keiji winks at him as he settles into the chair across from Tetsurou. He’s not quite smiling but it’s close enough that Tetsurou counts it as a win.</p><p>“It’s part of my charm.”</p><p>“If that’s what you want to go with. We’ll go with that.”</p><p>“So. Tetsurou. What brings you here tonight?”</p><p>Tetsurou takes a deep breath and stares at the fire for a few minutes.  He knows what he’s going to say but he takes the time to, now that he’s here, make sure of himself.  Because once he says what he’s thinking about saying he knows there’s no going back.  Not for Keiji and certainly not for him.</p><p>“Well,” he finally says.  “If I told you that I got my head out of my ass would you know what I’m talking about?” He’s watching Keiji watch the fire nearest him so he sees Keiji’s eyes twitch when he remembers the moment Tetsurou is referring to.  Keiji’s gaze slides over to him and he grins.  “Play it right and I might even ask nicely.”</p><p>Keiji returns Tetsurou’s grin with one of his own but his is sharper than Tetsurou’s and, not for the first or last time, Tetsurou thinks that Keiji could easily break him if he really wanted to. The magic in Keiji is wilder than most, though better controlled than any other magic he’s ever seen, and just the thought of getting caught up in that energy makes his nerves sing with anticipation.</p><p>“Oh you’ll ask Tetsurou.” Keiji’s voice is smooth but the fire in his eyes gives him away. Along with the way he curls his fingers into fists for just a moment before he pushes himself out of his chair. He puts his hands on either arm of Tetsurou’s chair and leans into Tetsurou’s space. The amount of confidence he has in himself and the trust he has in Tetsurou shows when he leans forward until they’re practically nose to nose, caging Tetsurou into the chair; a move that has cost more than one person their life and they both know it. Keiji’s breath is warm against his lips when he says, “And if you play it right I might even let you beg.”</p><p>“Promises, promises,” Tetsurou murmurs back.</p><p>This might not be what he had wanted to begin with. But Keiji’s never lied to him, never tried to soften his words or his blows, never tried to get him to be anything but himself. Keiji wants him and he wants Keiji and, for now, that’s more than good enough for him.</p><p>—</p><p>They make a mistake. A miscalculation if you will. It’s happened before, although rarely, and it will unfortunately probably happen again because despite how much Tetsurou has come to love - not just like well enough to take to bed but actually love - Keiji the man can still piss him off with little more than a raised eyebrow and a huff of breath. And when he’s pissed off he doesn’t always pay complete attention to the locks he’s trying to pick and sometimes those locks are actually part of a trap that-</p><p>“Yes I would have noticed it Keiji. I am good at picking locks. I am good at detecting traps. You’re just better at pissing me off and distracting me.”</p><p>“You say the sweetest things to me Tetsurou.” Keiji smiles even though Tetsurou knows he’s got to be, if not in pain, at least fairly uncomfortable thanks to whatever mana sapping materials the shackles around his wrists were infused with. Normally Tetsurou would have Keiji out of his chains in a flash. Normally Tetsurou’s hands weren’t stuck inside some bizarre plated gloves that were locked around his wrists and made his fingers about as good at picking locks as sausage links.  So here they are, stuck in a room in a mansion for going on three days now.</p><p>“I feel like they knew we were coming.”</p><p>Keiji gives him a look that Tetsurou is sure he is correctly interpreting as: if I could move my arms correctly I would reach over there and slap you upside the head. Keiji twists his wrists and flexes his fingers into fists, like he’s trying to get feeling back in them, and frowns.</p><p>“Oh they knew. There’s no way they were just ever so conveniently prepared to subdue a mage of my caliber and a rouge as good as you on a whim. It’s not like we were breaking into the King’s vault or something.”</p><p>Tetsurou flops onto the floor and stares at the locked door. “The question is who exactly set this trap for us? And why?”</p><p>Keiji sits as close as his stupid shackles will let him - their captors were oh so kind as to chain the shackles to the floor - and they toss back ideas and theories but none of them add up. The kind of enemies they have don’t have the skills and coin that this kind of trap requires. Or, to be honest, the intelligence. They’re in the middle of a heated debate about whether or not that noble they took the contract on six months ago could have possibly maybe somehow survived being poisoned and then knocked off a cliff when the telltale sounds of a fight in the hallway draw their attention.</p><p>“Oh,” Keiji says softly. “We didn’t think of that.” Tetsurou gives him a confused look. “The trap wasn’t for us, not exactly.”</p><p>A familiar shout makes Tetsurou suck in a sharp breath. “Oh shit,” he hisses. “We’re the bait.” He wriggles on the floor and yanks on his gloves a bit, trying to free himself again. It’s pointless but he can’t help but try. “First time in three fucking years I see him and he’s rescuing me. How pathetic.”</p><p>The sounds of fighting get louder and louder and then with a sudden cry all is quiet in the hallway.</p><p>“You’ll be fine,” Keiji assures him as the door knob rattles a couple times. They hear muffled voices moving away from the door for a moment and then the lock is clicking and the door swings open.</p><p>Daichi steps through first, eyes flickering around the room, glancing at them before skittering around to double check the corners. He straightens and nods and Koutarou hurries in behind him. His gaze passes over them, barely even noticing them before sliding to the chest in the corner of the room, and then takes a deep breath and his eyes snap back to them.</p><p>“Tetsu?” he asks softly. “Is that you?”</p><p>Keiji tenses at the nickname but doesn’t say anything about the way that Tetsurou’s breath catches a little. But his silences have always said more than his words and Tetsurou looks over and smiles at Keiji. Some of the wariness disappears from Keiji’s eyes and he smiles back.</p><p>“It’s me, Koutarou.” He gives a halfhearted wave which draws their attention to the bizarre gloves on his hands. Low, angry cursing signals Daichi noticing the shackles on Keiji’s wrists and he stomps out of the room muttering something about wanting to kill that asshole all over again. There’s a lot of clanging from the hallway, more cursing, and a sudden clattering crash that sounds suspiciously like a body in plate mail being thrown down a flight of stairs and then Daichi is back. He tosses a set of keys to Koutarou and starts trying a second set of keys in the lock on Keiji’s shackles.</p><p>“You are both so fond of getting in trouble,” Koutarou says with a quiet laugh. “What will I ever do with you? Either of you?”</p><p>Neither of them can answer before Daichi swears, yet again, and growls out, “These aren’t working. Try yours here and I’ll try these on Tetsurou’s.”</p><p>Before he can blink Koutarou is pushed out of the way and Daichi is kneeling on the floor in front of him. He tries every key on the ring in his hand and it’s only when Tetsurou watches him try the same key three times that he realizes Daichi’s hands are shaking and the words are out of his mouth before he can stop them.</p><p>“Are you okay Daichi?”</p><p>Daichi’s head snaps up and he looks into Tetsurou’s eyes and the worry and anger in that Tetsurou sees would knock him on his ass if he wasn’t already there. He’s not sure if the anger is directed at him or just a remnant of what Daichi and Koutarou had just waded through to get here. At least not until Daichi takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly and the anger drains away.</p><p>“You two have been trapped in here for fuck knows how many days and you’re worried if I’m okay?”  Daichi snorts at him but his hands are steady as he tries the keys again and gets the right one on the second try.</p><p>“Hey.  They fed us, let us go piss in the bathroom a few times.  Otherwise they pretty much just left us alone.”  He shakes out his hands and wriggles his fingers a bunch.  Hopefully whatever the hell those gloves were didn’t do any serious damage.  He glances over to check on Keiji and feels his heart trying to crawl up his throat at the sight of him and Koutarou standing with their heads bowed together talking softly.  “I’m just pissed that I was dumb enough to fall for the trap and that I don’t even get to beat anyone up for it all,” he says as he pushes himself to his feet.</p><p>The sound of flesh striking flesh makes them whip their heads around.  Keiji is glaring up at Koutarou, face flushed with anger.</p><p>“Go to hell, Koutarou,” Keiji hisses.  He shoves past Koutarou and stomps out of the room.  Koutarou glares at the floor, cheek turning red from where Keiji had slapped him.</p><p>Tetsurou pops open the chest in the corner and grabs their packs and weapons.  He barely has time to toss a quick thanks over his shoulder before the front door of the mansion they were being kept in slams open and shut and then he’s hurrying down the stairs to chase after Keiji.</p><p>—</p><p>Tetsurou shivers as Keiji’s magic flows over him and then past him, decimating the men trying to corner him against the wall of an overgrown ruin.  Keiji’s eyes flash when Tetsurou gives him a thankful nod and then his magic shoots out and it’s only when the man behind him gasps and shudders into view that he realizes there was an assassin hidden in the shadows.</p><p>“You know,” Tetsurou says later as he watches Keiji light the pile of bodies on fire with a deep breath and a flick of his wrist, “I don’t think I’ve ever told you how fucking much I love you.”</p><p>“You’re just saying that because watching me kick ass makes you all hot and bothered.”  Keiji lets his eyes flicker up and down Tetsurou’s body and he feels it like a physical touch and he has to take a deep breath.</p><p>This man… he can’t believe there was a time that Keiji wasn’t the only thing on his mind.</p><p>“Watching you do just about anything can get me hot and bothered,” he admits.  “I mean it Keiji: I love you.”</p><p>He can see the way Keiji’s cheeks flush ever so slightly and his fingers twitch until he tangles them together in front of his stomach and he licks his lips almost nervously but it’s all out of the corner of his eye because he can’t look away from Keiji’s gaze.</p><p>“Koutarou?” Keiji asks softly.</p><p>“I’ll always love him.  You know that.  You understand.”  Keiji snorts and nods; loving Koutarou was like breathing, for both of them.  “But he’s not the one here with me now.  He’s not the one who told me to pick my ass up and keep moving forward.  He’s not the one who has been by my side for three years now and has never tried to get me to change a single thing about myself.  He’s not the one who looked at me and told me he’d have me exactly how I was so long as I was looking at him and not wanting someone else.  He could drop to his knees in front of me right now and declare his love for me and it wouldn’t mean a damn thing if you weren’t part of it too.”</p><p>Keiji closes his eyes but Tetsurou doesn’t look away so he sees the passion in Keiji’s eyes when they pop open and he throws himself at Tetsurou, sending them both stumbling until Tetsurou’s back slams into a nearby tree and Keiji’s lips meet his own.  He lets Keiji take over the kiss and pour every ounce of emotion he has into it, lets Keiji consume him heart and soul, until they have to break apart for breath.  Tetsurou reaches up and cups Keiji’s face, thumbs running over his cheeks as they both smile at each other.</p><p>“I love you Keiji.”</p><p>“And I love you Tetsurou.”</p><p>—</p><p>The next time they see Daichi and Koutarou is two years after their rescue in that mansion.  It’s been nearly five years since the night that Tetsurou walked out of Koutarou’s life.  Five years since Keiji told him to get his head out of his ass.  Four years since he showed up at Keiji’s door with a grin.  A year and a half since he declared his love for Keiji.</p><p>“Do you realize,” he asks as he leans against Keiji’s shoulder and watches the other two out of the corner of his eye, “that we’ve been together for four years?”</p><p>“I’m still surprised we haven’t killed each other yet,” Keiji murmurs back, bringing his tankard of ale to his lips to hide his smile.  But Tetsurou hears it in his voice and sees it in his eyes.</p><p>The other two haven’t spotted them yet and Tetsurou can’t decide if he’s glad or not.  He wasn’t lying when he told Keiji that Koutarou could throw himself at Tetsurou’s feet and it would barely matter.  He loves Keiji, trusts him in a way he never knew he could trust another person, would go to the ends of earth and the depths of hell for Keiji.  He doubts anyone who knew him five years ago or more would believe that he could be so devoted to another person.  But here he is.  Wrapped around Keiji’s finger and loving every moment of it.</p><p>“Mage,” someone growls nearby in a voice that one normally reserves for finding maggots in their stew.</p><p>“Here we go,” Keiji mutters.  They turn in unison to see who had spoken to Keiji and are shocked to see a man standing next to Koutarou and Daichi’s table glaring at them.</p><p>“Look at the little noble bootlicker,” the man says.  </p><p>Keiji and Tetsurou share a glance before looking back at the table.  Daichi’s fists are clenching and unclenching on the table top as Koutarou takes a deep breath and stands up.</p><p>Daichi says something that they don’t catch but it makes the man start laughing.</p><p>“Yeah,” the man says.  “Listen to the pretty little mage and ignore me Koutarou.”</p><p>“Daichi’s a mage?” Tetsurou whispers to Keiji.  Keiji shakes his head and shrugs.  More men start standing from tables and shuffling closer to Koutarou and Daichi.  “Do we help them?”</p><p>Keiji rolls his eyes as Koutarou puffs out his chest and murmurs something to the man who had spoken, words quiet in the hum of the tavern but intent clear in the way he crosses his arms and tilts his head challengingly.</p><p>“Of course we do.”  Keiji winks at him.  “We haven’t gotten into a good tavern brawl in far too long.”</p><p>The fight is over nearly before it begins - even though Daichi doesn’t participate - especially when Keiji and Tetsurou step in.  Keiji leads Daichi and Koutarou outside while Tetsurou smiles sweetly and slips the tavern owner a bag of coin to cover the cost of the damages.  And to keep her mouth shut about the whole thing.</p><p>When he joins the others outside Daichi is pacing back and forth as the other two watch him warily.</p><p>“So,” Tetsurou say cheerfully, “what’s new?”</p><p>“Tetsurou,” Koutarou warns.</p><p>Tetsurou turns and points angrily at Koutarou.  “No.  You do not have the right to use that tone with me.”  Then he turns and smiles sweetly at Daichi.  “So.  Daichi.  What’s this about you being a noble bootlicker?”</p><p>“Fuck off,” Daichi growls.</p><p>He pretends to think about it for a moment.  “Nope.  I don’t think I will.”</p><p>“Keiji.”  Koutarou tries again.  Keiji snorts but looks over at Koutarou questioningly.  Koutarou points at Tetsurou.</p><p>“Tetsu,” Keiji coos.  Neither of them miss Koutarou’s flinch at the nickname.  “Play nice.”</p><p>“I,” Tetsurou says, “don’t want to.”</p><p>Daichi spins on him and jabs his finger into Tetsurou’s chest.  “Do you want a fight Tetsurou?”</p><p>Tetsurou reaches out and slowly wraps his fingers around Daichi’s wrist, thumb rubbing against the skin as he tilts his head and asks, “Why?  Do you?”</p><p>Daichi’s eyes widen and then he throws himself at Tetsurou, wrapping his arm around Tetsurou’s waist and tackling him to the ground.  He can hear Koutarou’s shout of alarm but Keiji keeps him from breaking them up.  Keiji says something but he knows it’s not directed towards himself.  Mostly because if Keiji wanted them to stop he’d throw up a binding spell or freeze their asses to the ground.  Daichi rolls them until he’s on top of Tetsurou and he throws a punch.  Tetsurou grabs his wrist and uses Daichi’s momentum to flip him onto his stomach so he can pin Daichi’s wrist against his back.</p><p>They tussle back and forth, neither of them really aiming to hurt the other, until he has Daichi pinned on his back with his arms above his head.  Daichi growls up at him and Tetsurou grins wildly at him.</p><p>And puts his foot right in his mouth.</p><p>“So.  A pretty little mage, huh?”</p><p>Daichi’s growl turns into snarl and Tetsurou’s fingers go numb.  And then his hands.  And his arms.  The numbness crawls across his skin until Daichi sits up and shoves him away.</p><p>Tetsurou tries to shake feeling back into his hands as Daichi scrambles away from him and hauls himself to his feet.</p><p>“Shit.  Fuck.  I’m sorry.”  Daichi spins away from him and rushes away, not quite running but close enough that it makes Tetsurou’s chest ache to watch.  Koutarou lets out a shout and hurries after him.</p><p>“So.  That’s how it is,” Tetsurou mumbles to himself as he rubs at his wrists.</p><p>“What the hell was that?”  Keiji holds out a hand and helps pull Tetsurou to his feet.  “What did you say?”</p><p>“I was an asshole.  But.  He is definitely a mage.  He just can’t control his magic.”</p><p>“Huh.”  Keiji looks towards where the other two had disappeared to.  “Interesting.”</p><p>—</p><p>It’s awkward staying here with a man that once upon a time Tetsurou would have sworn he was head over heels in love with.  He’s not entirely sure how Keiji managed to convince Daichi to let him try to help him with his magic.  But here they are.  Tucked away in a small fortress that they had cleared out of bandits a few weeks ago.  Just the four of them.</p><p>One cozy little family.</p><p>Tetsurou has never been a huge ‘crowd’ person but he’d potentially kill a man just to be able to lose himself in a rowdy tavern right about now.  But nope.  He’s with Keiji through thick and thin.  Through good times and bad.  And right now that means he’s with Daichi.  And Koutarou.</p><p>Koutarou who still laughs like he was created just for that purpose.  Koutarou who is a furnace on cold nights.  Koutarou who smiles at them even when Keiji snaps at him and Tetsurou grumbles and Daichi stomps down the stone corridors.  Koutarou who is too damn nice and kind and damn near perfect sitting there in the sun dappled courtyard looking like a damn painting on some noble’s wall that makes Tetsurou ache with the need to steal.</p><p>Fuck everything.</p><p>Tetsurou skirts the edge of the courtyard, sticking to the shadows where Koutarou won’t see him, and makes his way to what used to be the armory.  That’s where Keiji and Daichi are training today and he’s pretty sure somehow he’ll be tempting fate less to fuck up his life even more if he’s in the room with two powerful mages, one of whom is still learning to control his magic, than he will if he sits with Koutarou.  Which is probably saying something about his life.</p><p>He makes sure to tap against the door before he slips into the armory.  He knows better than to startle a mage, especially one that doesn’t have full control of their magic, and unless he’s trying to piss Keiji off he always tries to announce himself in some small way when he enters a room or interrupts a quiet moment.  Keiji’s damn vicious when he’s startled and Tetsurou can still feel the way his body had started going numb that day he and Daichi had fought.</p><p>Keiji gives him a quick smile when he settles onto a chest against the wall.  Daichi ignores him completely.  Tetsurou is both a little hurt, because he doesn’t really like being ignored by anyone, and impressed, because Daichi’s already come so far with his focus.</p><p>Daichi’s face is scrunched in concentration as he goes through whatever Keiji is having him go through.  Most likely some mental practice since Tetsurou can’t actually see any magic happening, can’t feel the familiar hum of it against his skin or taste the tang of it in the air.  Which apparently most people can’t do.  It was a skill that had gotten him out of a few tight situations, letting him duck at just the right moment before a magic fueled sneak attack struck him.  He can’t remember if he’s had it his whole life or if it’s some passive thing he’s picked up from the years spent at Keiji’s side.  He certainly can’t remember ever noticing anything when he’d run into Daichi all those years ago, both of them a fairly regular fixture in Koutarou’s life and fuck there he goes thinking about Koutarou again.</p><p>He takes a slow breath and unclenches his fists when Keiji looks over at him in concern.  It’s nothing, really, and he shakes his head but Keiji does not seem convinced.  The look he shoots Tetsurou promises that they’ll be talking later.  He shakes his head again and lets his gaze drift to Daichi again.</p><p>This time Daichi is watching him in return and the way that look makes his stomach flip and warmth creep through his chest is not comforting in the least.</p><p>—</p><p>He runs.</p><p>Facing his emotions, especially where Koutarou is concerned, is not something that he’s all that good at.  A locked door, a tricky trap, a man whose throat needs slit?  He’s all over it.  He can practically take care of it with his eyes closed.  Give him his emotions on a platter?  He’ll chuck it out the window as a distraction and slip into the shadows and out the door before you can blink.</p><p>Loving Keiji hasn’t been easy, exactly.  But at the same time it has.  Because loving Keiji, and having Keiji love him, was like breathing.  He doesn’t have to think about it.  It’s just… there.</p><p>And loving Koutarou has always been a part of him, deep in his chest and weaving through his ribs like vines just waiting for him to uncover it.  He knows Keiji understands, that Keiji has those same vines twining through his bones.  But Daichi?  Tetsurou knew he was greedy and selfish and his fingers always itched to steal that next shiny thing that someone else coveted.  But fuck.</p><p>His fingers itching for Koutarou when he had Keiji, heart and body and soul, at his side was bad enough.  But now they itch for Daichi.  To smooth the wrinkle of frustration from his brow, to slide against his sweaty skin while they spar, to wrap around his wrist and feel his pulse beating wildly when they’re nose to nose arguing over some dumb point that neither of them really need to win.</p><p>He buries his face in his arms and whines.  He is a horrible person.  He really is.  Horrible and greedy and stupid and really no good at all for any of the people he so desperately wishes were with him right now.</p><p>Keiji is no doubt pissed at him.  He probably just fucked up all of Daichi’s training, everything he’s been working on with Keiji down the drain.  Koutarou most likely is giving everyone that sad look.  The one where he looks equal parts sad, disappointed, and angry.  Either that or they’ve all just gone on without him, his leaving barely even a flicker of interest in their lives.</p><p>He’s not sure which possibility hurts more.  Which scares him more.  Which is the one that makes him curl into a ball and wish he were anyone but himself.</p><p>—</p><p>“You’re a piece of shit.”  Daichi’s voice echoes oddly in his mind.  Or maybe it’s echoing in the bizarre cell he’s been kept in for the last couple weeks.  Few weeks?  When was the last time these assholes had moved him from the last cell to this one?  “A complete and utter piece of shit.”  There’s something oddly familiar about this scene.  About rolling over and squinting into a pair of irritated eyes while he wants nothing more than to roll the other way and play dead.</p><p>He just hurts too much to do it right now.</p><p>“Tell me something I don’t know,” he mutters petulantly.  “And haven’t already told myself a million times.”</p><p>Daichi’s fingers are not as nimble and sure on the locks of the cell as Tetsurou’s would have been had he been able to use them properly and had he had a lockpick or, well, anything other than the tattered remains of his leathers on him.  Tetsurou can’t see, can’t really see anything very well right now, but he’s pretty sure Daichi’s hands are shaking.</p><p>“Okay,” Daichi says when the lock finally clicks open.  “How about this?  As pissed as I am at you I still want to kiss your stupid lips and run my hands through your ridiculous hair.”</p><p>“What?”  His head is reeling from the way Daichi pulls him to his feet too fast.  That’s all.  Not because of Daichi’s words which he’s pretty sure he didn’t even hear right.</p><p>“A fucking year, Tetsurou.  You’ve been gone a fucking year.  And I still want to kiss that dumb look off your face,” Daichi grumbles as he helps Tetsurou out of the cell.</p><p>“It doesn’t get any better,” Keiji says from behind them.  “Promise.”</p><p>If he had any saliva in his mouth he’d be gulping in trepidation as Daichi keeps urging him forward and out of the tower he had been locked in.  He wants to turn around, wants to fall into Keiji’s arms and beg for forgiveness.  He’s also scared as shit to turn around and see what might be in Keiji’s eyes right now.</p><p>The familiar wash of magic rushes over him as Keiji’s magic shoots past them and a body collapses out of the shadows mere steps in front of them.  Daichi glances back and nods at Keiji and then he tenses and magic fills Tetsurou’s senses as Daichi pulls him close with one arm and flings his other out towards Keiji.  His heart is in his throat as he tries to pull away from Daichi and see what just happened, to see whose body just hit the floor behind them.</p><p>“Thanks,” Keiji says quietly.  He sweeps past them and Tetsurou’s heart drops back down into his stomach; Keiji doesn’t even look at him.</p><p>“Fuck,” he hisses softly.</p><p>Daichi helps him out of the tower and through the body littered courtyard - which explains where Koutarou was - and down the grassy hill to the woods.  He helps him through the woods and to a quiet stream.  He helps him out of his tattered leathers and into the cool water.  Helps him wash his hair when he realizes he’s shaking too hard to do it himself.  Helps him into a clean set of clothes and away from the stream to a tiny clearing just big enough for a couple tents.  Daichi helps him into a tent and pulls a blanket over him.</p><p>He’s not sure how long they stay there, how long he stays in the tent.  Daichi helps him to the stream to bathe, brings him food and water and disgusting potions that he downs even when they make him want to throw up everything he’s ever eaten in his life.  Daichi tends to his wounds and changes bandages and doesn’t say anything when he finds Tetsurou curled up sobbing one morning.</p><p>He doesn’t see Keiji.  He doesn’t see Koutarou.  He’s pretty sure he doesn’t even hear them at all the whole time he’s in the tent recovering.  He can’t bring himself to ask Daichi where they are.  He can barely bring himself to answer Daichi’s questions about how he is doing and what, if anything, still hurts.</p><p>—</p><p>He’s finally recovered enough to travel away from the clearing on his own.  Keiji and Koutarou aren’t here with them.  He still hasn’t asked Daichi where they are.</p><p>He considers running again.  But he’s too tired.</p><p>Too tired of everything.  Too tired of hiding.  Too tired of being without Keiji near him.  Too tired of running from his feelings for Koutarou.  Too tired of pretending he doesn’t want what he wants.</p><p>That night when Daichi comes back from wherever he goes when he leaves Tetsurou he gives Daichi a tentative smile and waves in greeting.  Daichi does a double take and doesn’t stop on his way back to his own tent but he gives Tetsurou a smile in return.</p><p>—</p><p>They don’t talk much.  They sit next to the fire at night, each in their own thoughts.  Daichi leaves most mornings and comes back late in the day.  Sometimes he looks at Tetsurou like he’s surprised he’s still there.  Sometimes he looks at Tetsurou like he can’t believe he’s still there.  Mostly Tetsurou is just glad that Daichi looks at him.  That he comes back each night and sits next to the fire with him and gives him the occasional friendly smile.</p><p>Daichi comes back earlier than usual one day and catches Tetsurou in the middle of training.  He’s been using the idle hours that he’s alone to build up his strength and stamina, climbing trees, moving boulders, doing acrobatics across the clearing and through the nearby trees.  He nearly topples out of one of said trees when Daichi clears his throat and startles him.</p><p>Daichi doesn’t say anything about it but there’s a teasing look in his eyes that night as they eat and stare into the fire.</p><p>The next night Daichi hands him a pair of daggers.</p><p>“If you feel up to sparring sometime let me know,” Daichi says.</p><p>The first time they spar a few days later Daichi has him pinned in barely a minute.  Within a couple weeks he’s got Daichi pinned to a tree with a dagger at Daichi’s throat in under two minutes and they collapse next to the fire hungry and worn out but smiling at each other.</p><p>It’s a peaceful existence.  But he’s missing his heart and he can tell Daichi is too.  It’s in the way Daichi’s eyes go distant when they sit quietly, the way his fingers twitch in aborted motions sometimes like he’s reaching for someone who isn’t there, the way he watches Tetsurou warily like he might blink and Tetsurou will be gone.</p><p>He has no idea for sure how long they’ve been here in the clearing, how many weeks and months have passed, but the days are growing colder and the nights are long and he drags himself out of his tent and huddles up next to Daichi near the fire late one night with a weary sigh.</p><p>“Will he forgive me?”  </p><p>They still don’t talk much and his voice startles himself as much as Daichi who looks at him with wide eyes for a moment before he smiles softly at Tetsurou and reaches out to pull him against his side.</p><p>“He will.  He probably already has even if he’ll no doubt punch you the moment he sees you again.”</p><p>“I deserve it.”</p><p>“It was an especially dick-like move.  Even for you,” Daichi agrees.  Tetsurou should probably pull away, settle himself in his own blanket again.  But Daichi is comfortable and he’s still got his arm around Tetsurou and he’s tired of denying himself things he wants.  So instead of pulling away and curling up alone he sinks into Daichi’s embrace and curls as close as Daichi lets him.</p><p>“Will I get to see him again,” he asks quietly, nose buried in Daichi’s collarbone.  He hasn’t gone searching for them.  He hasn’t gone back to the tower he had been held in.  He hasn’t gone exploring to see where they are.  For all he knows he’s just a few hours away from a village or city.</p><p>He’s been content to spend his days here, in this little clearing, content in the knowledge that Daichi would come back.  And if there was a night he didn’t come back, well, Tetsurou would deal with it then.</p><p>“You will,” Daichi replies just as quietly.  “He will be back eventually.  There’s just…”  Daichi takes a deep breath and tilts his head back to look at the sky.  “There’s a lot going on right now that he and Koutarou have to deal with and neither of us would really help them right now.”</p><p>There’s only one thing he can think of that those two would have to deal with that he and Daichi being around would make more complicated: the throne.</p><p>“Will Koutarou come back?”  Daichi tenses against him and the wary way Daichi watches him, like he’s expecting him to disappear between one blink and the next, floods his mind and he curls even closer than before, reaching under blankets until he can tangle his fingers with Daichi’s.</p><p>“I hope so, Tetsurou.  But fuck I just don’t know.”</p><p>—</p><p>Keiji comes back.  One morning Tetsurou wakes up, rolls out of his tent with a yawn, and trips over his feet at the sight of Keiji sitting on a log just a few steps away.  He doesn’t think, doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t even consider the fact that Keiji might push him away.  He simply sucks in a sharp breath and throws himself at Keiji, knocking them both to the ground.</p><p>“Finally got your head out of your ass I see,” Keiji laughs.  “I’m glad.”</p><p>“I am too.”  He looks down at Keiji’s face, looks into the eyes of the man he loves, and breathes easily for the first time in what feels like forever.  The smile that had been creeping onto his face drops and his gaze flickers to Daichi’s tent.  “I’m greedy Keiji.  Lighting torches I shouldn’t even be touching.”</p><p>Keiji cards his hand through Tetsurou’s messy hair and looks up at him fondly.</p><p>“It’ll be okay Tetsurou.”</p><p>He leans into Keiji’s touch.  “Will it though?”</p><p>“You trust me right?”</p><p>“More than anyone in the world.”  Keiji smiles at him and pulls him down to give him a gentle kiss.</p><p>“Then trust me.  It will be okay.  Just.  Don’t fucking leave me like that again.  Please,” Keiji breathes the words across Tetsurou’s lips.</p><p>“I won’t.  I can’t.  Never again.”  He collapses onto Keiji and buries his face in Keiji’s hair and doesn’t even flinch when Daichi steps out of his tent and snorts at them before throwing a blanket over them.</p><p>“Welcome back, Keiji,” is all Daichi says.</p><p>—</p><p>“That’s it,” Tetsurou hisses.  “I’m done.  I can’t do it anymore Keiji.”  Keiji looks up from his book and raises an eyebrow at Tetsurou.  Tetsurou gestures to Daichi sitting on the other side of the fire, staring blankly into it.  “I can’t just sit here and watch him like this anymore.  We have to do something.”</p><p>Keiji closes his book.  “Oh we do, do we?”  The way he says it makes Tetsurou flush but he huffs and gestures to Daichi again.</p><p>“Yes.  We do.  Unless you just want to watch Daichi wallow in his misery for fuck knows how long before he crumbles into dust or I finally give in and attempt to kiss that sad look off his face.”</p><p>“Oh,” Keiji hums.  “I see how it is.  He rescues you and nurses you back to health and you fall for him.”</p><p>“I fell for him before I ran.  Shit,” he mutters when Keiji bursts into laughter.  He wants to be mad or embarrassed or something but Keiji just looks so happy that he can’t even be upset. about it really.  He glances over and meets Daichi’s eyes for a moment.  Daichi’s mouth twitches in an almost smile and then he looks away into the fire again.  Tetsurou turns his attention back to Keiji who is now wiping actual tears from his eyes and grinning at Tetsurou.</p><p>“I knew it,” Keiji states when he finally catches his breath.  “I knew it.  They owe me a hundred silver each.  I tried to tell them but they wouldn’t believe me.  They both insisted that you left because of them and I told them they were only half right.  I told them that it had nothing to do with Koutarou being a noble in line for the throne and Daichi being an unschooled mage and everything to do with the fact that you had feelings for them.  But they insisted I was wrong.  That I - the man who had been at your side for nearly five years - didn’t know what you were thinking.  Which was, quite frankly, stupid.  How could I be with you that long and not know?  How could I not know when you looked at them the same way you looked at me.  The same way I looked at you.”  Keiji takes his hand and kisses his palm.  “The same way I looked at them,” he admits, lips still pressed to Tetsurou’s skin.</p><p>“So you three?”</p><p>“No.”  Keiji cuts him off before he can even finish his sentence.  “It wouldn’t have meant a damn thing without you there by my side.  I love you Tetsurou,” Keiji whispers against his palm.</p><p>He curls his fingers and cups Keiji’s cheek.  “I love you too Keiji.”  They look into each other’s eyes for a moment and then turn as one to look across the fire to Daichi’s hunched form.</p><p><br/>
Daichi looks up in confusion when Tetsurou and Keiji each hold a hand out in front of his face, eyes slowly coming back into focus.  He reaches out and takes both of their hands before he even opens his mouth to speak.</p><p>“Shall we go steal ourselves a noble?” Tetsurou asks as they pull Daichi to his feet.</p><p>Daichi looks between the two of them and then down to where all three of them are holding hands and then back up to them.  He gives them a cautious smile.</p><p>“I prefer to think of it as rescuing him from other nobles,” Daichi says.</p><p>Tetsurou scoffs and pulls Daichi towards Daichi’s tent to start packing.  “You would,” he says over his shoulder.  “Live a little Daichi.  Steal something shiny.  Stab someone who deserves it.”</p><p>Keiji laughs as Daichi stumbles after Tetsurou.</p><p>—</p><p>Tetsurou knocks softly on the door and does his best to avoid fidgeting with his stupid clothes.  He’s always hated the feel of fancy clothes like this.  They’re always so constricting and it’s been so long since he’s needed to wear them that all of his custom pieces no longer fit right.  So he doesn’t have nearly as many daggers or vials tucked away as he would prefer to have while traipsing through the keep.  He’d rather face down a dozen blood thirsty bandits naked than be here.  But Koutarou is here.  So… here he is.</p><p>The door opens and Koutarou peeks out, eyes narrow until he spots Tetsurou and then they widen comically.</p><p>“Tetsurou,” he says like he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing.  “What’s going on?  Why are you here?”</p><p>Tetsurou gestures at the door and Koutarou opens it enough for Tetsurou to slip inside.  It’s a cozy enough room, richness and finery practically stifling the air, and it makes Tetsurou’s skin crawl.</p><p>“I’m here to steal you away of course.  Why else?”  He gives Koutarou his most charming smile but Koutarou just stares at him.  “You’re not staying here.  You’re not taking the throne.  You’re not going to turn into something you hate.”  Koutarou startles at his words.  “I won’t let you.”</p><p>“It’s my duty Tetsurou,” Koutarou says sadly.  “The fact that I was allowed as much freedom as I had is surprising to be honest.  It’s more than I could have asked for.  I’ll take my place here and I’ll be happy enough in the end.”</p><p>Tetsurou stares at Koutarou.  He’s not even drinking in the sight of him like he thought he would.  No.  He’s just staring blankly at Koutarou because he cannot believe his friend is being so stupid.</p><p>“Bullshit,” Tetsurou says.  “That’s bullshit and you know it.  ‘I’ll be happy enough in the end’ what the hell?  No you won’t.  You won’t have Daichi with you and you’ll be all the more miserable because of it.  Bad enough to be forced into taking the throne but to be forced to leave the man you love?  Fuck I was stupid enough to run away from the ones I loved and let me tell you.  Death would have been preferable.”</p><p>The mention of Daichi makes Koutarou’s eyes narrow and his face settles into a mask of indifference.  But Tetsurou can see the pain lingering in his eyes.  Can hear the hitch in Koutarou’s breath when he talks about love.</p><p>“It’s my duty, Tetsurou.”</p><p>“So?”</p><p>Koutarou glares at him.  “Not all of us can just run away from our problems.”</p><p>“Ouch,” Tetsurou hisses.  Though he tries not to let it get under his skin too much.  He deserved that one after all.</p><p>“Just.”  Koutarou takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.  “I am happy you’re alive and well Tetsurou.  I’m assuming Daichi and Keiji are as well or you would have started with that.  Please.  Don’t make this decision harder than it already is.  Please?”</p><p>Tetsurou reaches out and grabs Koutarou’s hand, tugging at it until Koutarou gets the hint and moves to stand in front of Tetsurou.  He runs his thumb against the underside of Koutarou’s wrist and watches his friend struggle with his thoughts until he suddenly shudders and pulls Tetsurou into a bone crushing hug that Tetsurou happily returns.  Five years ago this one simple gesture would have been enough to fill his heart for months on end.  But now it’s not enough, not nearly enough, to do more than take the edge off the feelings crowding his heart.</p><p>“What if,” he starts, his voice barely a whisper.  “What if I told you that you could get out of it all?  No running away.  No hiding.  No looking over your shoulder.  No taking a throne you don’t want.  No leaving the man you love behind.  Would you be selfish then?  Would you let me steal you away from here?”</p><p>Koutarou hugs him almost impossibly tighter.  “Words spoken in a tone like that usually mean the speaker is about to sacrifice themselves.  Don’t sacrifice yourself for me Tetsurou.  I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”</p><p>Tetsurou lets out a huff.  “The only thing I’d have to sacrifice is a little pride I promise.  And if it meant you’d be happy I’d sacrifice a hell of a lot more.  You know that.”</p><p>“And what about Keiji?  You’d just leave him like that?”</p><p>Tetsurou finally pulls himself from Koutarou’s arms and smiles at him, hands trailing down Koutarou’s arms until their fingers are tangled together.  “I won’t be leaving anyone.  That’s the beauty of it Koutarou.  I’ve been out in the world for quite awhile now.  You hear things.  You learn things.  You collect collateral when you pick the pockets of dead men after all.  And Keiji and I have found a lot of dead men over the years.  The worst thing these noble bastards could have ever done was send me away.  The worst thing for them anyway.”</p><p>There’s a knock at the door and Tetsurou calls out permission to enter before Koutarou can even open his mouth.</p><p>“The Lords and Ladies of the realm have until sundown.  There will be a gathering in the King’s Hall then.  If Koutarou isn’t there then he’s left with us and they will never contact him again.”   Keiji dusts an invisible speck of dirt off his shoulder and meets Tetsurou’s gaze with a grim smile.  “If Koutarou is there then we will have left without him and will never be seen in these parts again.”</p><p>Daichi is leaning against the closed door and just watching Koutarou as Keiji’s words - and the implications behind them - sink in.</p><p>“What did you do?”  Koutarou hasn’t pulled away from Tetsurou so Tetsurou can feel the way his hands start trembling.  “What did you give up?”</p><p>“It’s funny how well the Lords and Ladies all listen to you when you have their signatures on contracts and love letters and plots to overthrow each other,” Keiji says idly.  “And how they’ll scramble to do near anything to get their hands on them.  Don’t worry,” he adds when Koutarou opens his mouth.  “We have enough to keep them from breaking their promises once we’re gone.  Whether you’re with us or choose to stay here with them the four of us will be free of their treacherous backstabbing ways.”</p><p>Daichi pushes away from the wall and comes to them and Tetsurou watches the way Koutarou watches him.  Watches the way his eyes flicker interestedly when Daichi lets his fingers drag along Keiji’s elbow and down to Keiji’s hand before stepping past him and reaching out to cup Koutarou’s cheek.  Tetsurou feels like he should move, should give them this moment, but Daichi’s free hand settles on his lower back and he stays.</p><p>“Koutarou,” Daichi murmurs.  “Come with me.  I don’t care how any of this plays out so long as you come with me.”  His fingers press against Tetsurou’s back and Keiji steps up to Tetsurou’s other side.</p><p>“It’s your choice in the end,” Keiji says, eyes flickering between all three of them.  “But.”  His eyes land on Koutarou’s and Tetsurou can feel Koutarou’s hands trembling again at the intensity in that gaze.  “For what it’s worth… come with us?”</p><p>Koutarou drags his gaze from Keiji, leans his cheek into Daichi’s touch, and meets Tetsurou’s eyes.</p><p>“Tetsu?”</p><p>Tetsurou smiles.  “Let us steal you, Koutarou.  Please?”</p><p>“Rescue,” Daichi says testily.</p><p>“Steal,” Tetsurou hisses back, not looking away. from Koutarou.</p><p>“I will fight you.”</p><p>“I know you will.”</p><p>Koutarou laughs and turns to Keiji.  “Were they like this the whole way here?”</p><p>“Worse,” Keiji says blandly.</p><p>—</p><p>Tetsurou collapses to the ground and drags himself to where Koutarou is sprawled.  He flops over Koutarou’s stomach, dead weight, and groans.</p><p>“I told you that Keiji would kick our ass,” he whines to Koutarou, “but no you had to egg him on.”</p><p>“You like it when he kicks your ass,” Koutarou huffs at him.</p><p>“I like it when he does anything to my ass.  That’s beside the point.”</p><p>Daichi wanders back into the clearing a little later, dropping the spoils of his hunt near the fire and coming over to crouch down next to Koutarou and Tetsurou.</p><p>“Did you even land a hit on him,” he asks as he digs through his pack and hands them each a minor healing potion to get them back on their feet.  “Or did you get distracted by his face again?”</p><p>Keiji laughs from where he had settled down a few feet away.  Close enough to hear them and talk to them but not close enough for them to drag him into their sweaty tangle of limbs.  Koutarou pouts and reaches for Daichi.  Daichi gives in gracefully and allows himself to be pulled down.  Keiji laughs again and shakes his head at them all.</p><p>“Come on Keiji,” Tetsurou calls out.  “It’s not the same without you.”</p><p>Keiji gives him a knowing look and rolls his eyes.  </p><p>But he shuts his book and scoots close enough to reach out and take Tetsurou’s hand.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>feel free to come yell at me over on <a href="http://ezzydean.tumblr.com">tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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